New Dream, as the organization calls itself, is an environmental nonprofit that promotes alternatives to consumerism that improve quality of life, a mission that puts sharing right in their wheelhouse. "Sharing saves everyone money," says Wen Lee, the center’s director of online media and engagement. "At the same time, sharing by its inherent nature involves interacting with people who live close to you, which has been shown to increase social bonds and social bonds are one of the things that psychologists have found that really create lasting happiness and satisfaction for people in their lives. So while we’re saving money and building community we’re reducing our impact on the environment by consuming fewer new resources."

Of course, the first step can be the hardest. "Even if you can rationally come to the conclusion that sharing is a good idea, actually doing it is still really hard," says Janelle Orsi, the author of the video script and the voice behind its narration, as well as a lawyer specializing in sharing. "And part of the barrier is the feeling that if you approach someone about sharing they’re probably going to think you’re kind of weird." To smooth the way, Orsi, has published sample agreements for sharing cars, yards, offices, and other resources as free companions to her book The Sharing Solution. "If these agreements are out there, people are going to be more willing to do it because it won’t seem like such an uncharted area," she says.